The U.S. Senate has approved legislation to extend a moratorium on state Internet access taxes for seven years. The Internet tax ban was set to expire in a few days. The Senate agreed to a compromise between lawmakers who proposed a shorter extension and those who pushed for a permanent one.

Reuters, a business news-wire service, quotes Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, as saying, “by keeping the Internet tax-free and affordable, Congress can encourage Internet use for distance learning, telemedicine, commerce and other important services.”

Two weeks earlier, the House of Representatives approved a four-year extension on the Internet tax ban. The House and Senate must reach a compromise before submitting the bill to President George W. Bush who promised to sign it into law.